The present invention relates to a copier, printer or similar image forming apparatus of the type including a paper cassette loaded with a stack of papers and a tray or similar paper stacking means for stacking the papers sequentially driven out via a paper outlet formed in the casing of the apparatus.
It is a common practice with a copier, optical printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus to mount a cassette in an opening formed in the casing of the apparatus or within the casing. An image forming section included in the apparatus forms a toner image on the paper fed from the cassette. The paper with the image is driven out onto, e.g., a tray.
An image forming apparatus whose casing is made up of a lower casing part and an upper casing part rotatable, or openable, away from the lower casing part is conventional. The problem with this kind of apparatus is that when the upper casing part is opened, it interferes with the tray or similar paper stacking means or causes papers stacked on the tray to drop. To solve this problem, the overall length, particularly widthwise length, of the entire apparatus must be increased, obstructing miniaturization.
On the other hand, it has been customary with an ordinary type of image forming apparatus to arrange a control panel including various keys on the front of the apparatus, and to mount a tray (paper stacking means) on one side of the apparatus in a slightly inclined position. However, the tray mounted on the side of the apparatus in such a position protrudes from the apparatus and increases the overall widthwise dimension of the apparatus. This kind of apparatus is therefore not feasible for a narrow space application.
To promote space saving, the widthwise dimension of the apparatus may be reduced, and the tray may be mounted on the rear of the apparatus opposite to the front. This kind of scheme, however, brings about the following problems. The papers carrying images thereon are driven out to the rear of the apparatus in a slightly upwardly inclined position. This makes it difficult for the operator to pick up the papers because the papers are remote from the operator.
Technologies relating to the present invention are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 4-277157, 1-271362 and 4-182260 as well a s in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication Nos. 62-43360, 1-156160, 55-147340, 60-122946, and 58-110655.